Hillary Clinton’s announcement that she supports gay marriage is now fueling speculation that she might run for president again in 2016. NBC’s Kristen Welker reports.

Politics

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>>>hillary clinton
getting attention tonight, though it wasn't totally unexpected. she now says she supports same-sex marriage. this comes just days after a prominent republican senator made the very same announcement, surprising his own party. i'll report on all of it tonight from nbc's christine welker in washington.

>> reporter: the former secretary of state declared her support of same-sex marriage on a website of a gay
advocacy group
.

>>i supported it personally and as a matter of policy and law.

>> reporter: it's a view that has evolved. here's her answer to a question of tim russer in
2004
.

>>i do not support
gay marriage
.

>> reporter: a statement she made during her
2008
presidential campaign. but while making a stake on political issues, she expanded benefits for same-sex
domestic partners
working at the
state department
and today asserted --

>>gay rights
are
human rights
. a few years ago, bill and i celebrated as our own daughter married the love of her life, and i wish every parent that same joy.

>> reporter: mrs. clinton's announcement comes a week after the
supreme court
accepted a challenge to the federal
marriage act
, a law that describes marriage between a woman and a man. and she urged the court to overturn the law, which
bill clinton
signed in
1996
. in
2004
, only 40% of people supported same-sex marriage. the
wall street journal
poll in
2012
showed a majority in favor.

>>the world has transformed itself on this issue, including the
political world
.

>>>on sunday,
rob portman
came out in favor of same-sex marriage.

>>i now believe people have the right to get married.

>> reporter: a position most of his party opposed, but republicans launched a $10 million effort to reach minority voters.

>>we want to build our party, and we want to do it with bold strokes.

>> reporter: now,
president obama
has also changed his position, announcing his support of same-sex marriage last year, and a new poll just today shows 58% of americans agree. brian?